Direct-acting engine.



Patented Dec. 23, I902.

A. E. JOHNSON.

DIRECT ACTING ENGINE? (Application filed Aug. 15, 1901.7

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No. 36,842. .Patanted Dem-23, I902.

' A. E. JOHNSON.

DIRECT ACTING gamma.

(Aflalication filed Aug. 15, 1901.1

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Patented Dec. 23, I902.

lllfl 1m A. E. JOHNSON.

DIRECT ACTING ENGINE. (Application filed Aug 15, 1901.)

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BY V I TTOR E UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.L

ALFRED E. J OHN SON, OF COLORADO SPRINGS, COLORADO.

DlRECT-ACTING ENGINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 716,842, dated December 23, 1902. Application filed August 15,1901. Serial 1%. 72,129. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ALFRED E. JOHNSON, a citizen of the United States of America, residing at Colorado Springs, in the county of El Paso and State of Colorado, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Direct- Acting Engines; and I do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the figures of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

My invention relates to improvements in direct-acting engines. Attention is especially directed in this specification to the use of the mechanism in connection with mine-sinking pumps. It may, however, be employed to advantage in pumping fluids of all kinds and also in other relations where reciprocating motion is required.

The invention will now be described in detail, reference being made to the accompanying drawings, in which is illustrated an em: bodiment thereof.

In thedrawings, Figure 1 is a vertical longitudinal section taken through the enginecylinder. The line of the section is indicated by as a; on Fig. 3. Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the same. Fig. 3 is a top or plan view of the cylinder. Fig. 4 is a cross-section taken on the line y y on Fig. 2. Fig. 5 is a section taken through the cylinder on the line .2 a of Fig. 1. Fig. 6 is a section taken through the auxiliary valve and the fluid-passages leading from the auxiliary-valve chamber to the chamber of the piston which controls the slide-valve. Figs. 7 and 8 are top and side views of the auxiliary valve shown in detail. Fig. 9 illustrates a portion of the valve-stem shown in detail. Fig. 10 is an end view of the same. Figs. 11 and 12 illustrate the valveshifting spindle. Figs. 18, 14, and 15 are detail views of the clutch interposed between the valve and valve-stem.

The same characters of reference indicate the same parts in all the views.

Let the numeral 5 designate a cylinder, in which is located a piston 6, connected with a stem 7, passing through a stuffing-box 8 in the bottom of the cylinder. The top of the cylinder is provided with a head 9, having a steam-chest 10, in which is located the slide valve 12, operated by a piston 13, located in the chamber 14. This piston is connected with the slide-valve by a stem 15. 7 From the chest 10, containing the operating fluid, as steam or air, lead fluid-passages 16 and'17, formed in the head 9 and registering with other passages (designated by the same reference characters) formed in the cylinder-casing and communicating with the opposite extrernities of the cylinder-chamber. The head 9 of the cylinder is provided with an inletport 17 a and an exhaust-port 18. These ports communicate with the fluid-chest 10 by pas sages 19 and 20, respectively. 1 (See Fig. 2, in which these passages are indicated by dotted lines.) The port 17 communicates with the chest 21 of an auxiliary valve 28 by small passages 23 and 24, which intersect each other, being formed for convenience by boring the cylinder from the outside and stopping the outer extremities of the holes. These passages are indicated by dotted lines in Fig. 3.

Two passages 25 and 26 lead from the valvechest 21 to the opposite ends of the chamber 14 of the piston 13. An exhaust-passage 27 also leads from the chest 21 to the main exhaust-port 18.

Within the chest 21 is located an auxiliary valve 28, which is connected by means of a clutch 29 with one extremity of the valvestem 30, which occupies an opening formed in the cylinder-wall, which is reinforced or made heavier on one side for the purpose. The clutch 29 is provided with a tongue 29, formed on one face and adapted to enter a counterpart groove 28, formed in one end of the valve 28. The clutch is provided on its opposite face with a groove 29, extending at right angles to the tongue and adapted to receive a counterpart tongue 30, formed on the adjacent extremity of the stem.

The utility of the clutch 29 is to provide means of correcting any errors of -alinemcnt between the valve-seat and the valve-stem. As the tongue and groove on the opposite face of the clutch are at right angles to each other, any errors of alinement are corrected by the sliding of one of the tongues in its corresponding groove.

The auxiliary valve is provided with lugs 28 in its upper extremity or that remote from the clutch 29. The adjacent extremity of a starting-spindle 31 loosely engages the upper extremity of the auxiliary valve by means of lugs 31, which occupy the spaces 28 between the lugs 28. There is sufficient space or clearance between the cooperating lugs of the auxiliary valve and the starting-spindle to permit the normal automatic operation of the valve without disturbing the spindle. The spindle 31 is journaled in the head 9 of the cylinder and passes through a stuffing-box 32, which forms a steam-tight joint therearound. To the outer extremity of this spindle 31 is attached an operating lever-arm 33. This spindle is only employed to shift the auxiliary valve for starting purposes, after which the action of the auxiliary valve is automatic, as hereinafter explained.

Surrounding the valve-stem 30 are two pockets 34:, formed in the cylinder-wall and which communicate, respectively, with the top and bottom of the cylinder. Located within these pockets and made fast to the valve-stem by set-bolts 35 or in any other suitable manner are two collars 36, provided with cams 36*, which alternately protrude into the piston-chamber of the cylinder 5 and are engaged by the reciprocating piston 6 for the purpose of operating the auxiliary valve. This valve is provided with an exhaust-cavity 28 When in the position shown in Fig. 6, the exhaust-cavity of this valve registers with the exhaust-passage 18 of the head, both passages 25 and 26 being cut off from the operating fluid of the valve-chest 21. It is evident that if this valve be turned in either direction from the position shown in said figure that the operating fluid from the valve-chest will flow by Way of a passage 25 or 26 to one extremity of the chamber 14 of the piston 13, while the fluid from the opposite extremity of the said chamber will exhaust by way of the other passage 25 or 26, the exhaust-cavity 28 the exhaust-passage 27, and the port 18.

As the piston 6 reciprocates it engages the cam 36" just before it reaches the limit of its stroke. These cams are so shaped that the engagement of the piston imparts a partial rotation to the valve-stem 30 and actuates the valve 28 for the purpose just explained. The movement of the piston 13 actuates the slidevalve 12 to admit the operating fluid to one extremity or the other of the cylinder-chamber by way of a passage 16 or 17 and to allow the operating fluid to exhaust from the opposite extremity of the cylinder-chamber by way of the other passage 16 or 17 and the exhaust-cavity of the slide-valve.

The pockets 34, in which the collars 36 are located, are provided with removable doors or cover-plates 37.

The main fluid-passages 16 and 17 enter the cylinder-chamber a sufficient distance from the chamber extremities to permit the cushioning of a portion of the exhaust fluid between the piston and the cylinder-head. An

auxiliary port 39 is formed at each end of the cylinder. The fluid compression and initial fluid-supply are controlled by the threaded plugs 38, Which protrude into these ports.

The cylinder 5 is provided on two opposite sides with trunnions 40, to which a supporting bail or hanger 14 is attached.

From the foregoing description the use or operation of my improved engine will be readily understood.

Operating fluid,as compressed air or steam, being admitted to the inlet-port 17 flows to the slide-valve chest by Way of the fluid-passage 19 and flows by way of the small passages 23 and 24 to the auxiliary-valve chest 21. Flowing through whichever main fluid-passage is uncovered the fluid passes to the corresponding end of the cylinder-chamber and drives the piston 6 to the opposite extremity of said chamber, where the piston engages the inclined projection or cam 36 of a valve-stem collar 36 and imparts a partial rotation to the auxiliary valve by virtue of the construction and arrangement of parts heretofore described. This movement of the auxiliary valve allows the fluid to enter the valve-chamber 14 on one side of the piston 13 and exhaust from the opposite side of the said piston, whereby the said piston is actuated and the slide-valve shifted to cause the fluid to enter one extremity of the cylinder-chamber and exhaust from the opposite extremity thereof. This operation is continued automatically as long as the engine is supplied with the operating'fluid.

Attention is called to the fact that the valvestem 30 is reduced in sizeimmediately below each cam-collar 36 and also immediately below each bearing in the cylinder-wall, except the lowermost. This is advantageous, since it makes the stern easy of removal and insertion, since it obviates the necessity of driving it a long distance to put it in place or to remove it from its location.

Having thus described myinvention, what I claim is 1. In a direct-acting engine, the combination with a cylinder, a piston and slide-valve for controlling the passage of fluid to the cylinder-chamber, and a fluid-actuated device for operating the slide-valve, of an auxiliary valve for controlling the passage of fluid to the device for operating the slide-valve, a stem journaled in the wall of the cylinder, said stem being connected in operative relation with the auxiliary valve, a device detachably mounted on the stem, projecting into the cylinder-chamber and into the path of the piston therein, an opening being formed the cylinder being provided with openings to permit the removal of the cams, and plates detachably applied to the cylinder to cover said openings, substantially-as described. I

3. The combination with a cylinder, a piston therein, a slide-valve forcontrolling the passage of fluid to the cylinder-chamber, and a fluid actuated device for operating the slide-valve, of a stem journaled in the c vlin-' der-wall, a valve connected in operative rela-- tion with said stem, the wall of the cylinder having two pockets located near its respective extremities and communicating with thecy'L inder-chamber, a cam mounted on the valvestem and adapted to enter each pocket, the

cylinder-wall having openings communicating with said pockets to permit the removal of the cams, plates detachably applied to the cylinder covering said openings, the cams being arranged to project alternately into the cylinder and so arranged that when either cam is engaged by the piston a partial rotation is imparted to the valve and valve-stem, whereby the engaged cam is thrown into its pocket, while the other cam is thrown from its pocket into the cylinder-chamber,andinto position to be engaged by the piston during its return stroke.

4. The combination with a cylinder, and a piston therein, of an auxiliary valve for controlling the supply of fluid to the cylinderchamber, a stem journaled in the wall of the cylinder and connected in operative relation' with said valve, two cams detachably connected with the said stem, adjacent the op posite extremities of the cylinder-chamber and arranged to protrude into said chamber alternately, the cams being actuated by the piston of the cylinder, to permit the removal of the cams, and covers for said openings, the covers being detachably connected with the cylinder.

5. The combination with acylinder and piston, of a valve for controlling the supply of fluid to the piston-chamber, a stem journaled in the wall of the cylinder and connected in operative relation with said valve, the wall of the cylinder being provided with two pockets located adjacent the opposite extremities of the cylinder-chamber and connected therewith, through which said pockets, the stem passes, carncollars adjustably connected with said stem and located in said pockets,

the said collars being so arranged that the cams project into the cylinder-chamber alternately when they are acted on by the piston to operate the valve.

6. The combination with a cylinder and a piston therein, of a valve for controlling the supply of fluid to the cylinder-chamber, a stem journaled in the wall of the cylinder,

cams mounted on said stem, projecting alternately into the cylinder-chamber where they areactuated by the piston tooperate the stem, and a clutch interposed betweenthe stein extremity and the valve whereby the operation of the stem imparts a corresponding movement to the valve, substantially as described, and for the purpose set forth.

7. The combination with a cylinder and piston, of a valve for controlling the supply of fluid to the cylinder-chamber, a stem journaled in'the cylinderwall and connected in operative relation with the valve, devices mounted on the stem, projecting into the cyl inder-chamber and arranged to be alternately acted on by the piston to operate the valve, and a starting-spindle journaled in the cylinder and loosely connected with the valve substantially as described.

8. The combination with acylinder and piston, of a valve for controlling the supply of fluid to the cylinder-chamber, a valve-stem journaled in the wall of the cylinder and provided with cams projecting into the cylinderchamber and into the path of the piston, for operating the valve, a clutch interposed between the valve and one extremity of the valve-stem, and a tongue-and-groove connection between the valve and the clutch and between the clutch and the valve-stem, the tongues and grooves forming the two connections being arranged at right angles to each other substantially as described.

9. The combination with a cylinder, and a piston, of a valve for controlling the supply of fluid to the piston-chamber, a stem journaled in the wall of the cylinder and passing through an opening formed in the valve, and cams having openings through which the stem passes and detachably connected therewith, the said cams being arranged to project into the cylinder as described, the said stem be ing reduced in size adjacent each bearing in the cylinder-wall and adjacent each cam, to permit the easy removal of the stem from the said bearings and parts. I

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

ALFRED E. JOHNSON.

Witnesses:

A. J. OBRIEN, G. J. ROLLANDET. 

